Democrats outspending GOP in close 8th Distirct Assembly race

David Levinsky @davidlevinsky

Friday

Oct 18, 2019 at 3:45 PMOct 19, 2019 at 10:03 AM

Campaign finance reports released this week by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission showed LaPlaca and Natale raised over $336,300 in their joint account and spent just over $225,000 on their campaign to win the two GOP-held seats. By comparison, Stanfield and Peters raised a combined $282,773 in their separate campaign accounts and collectively spent $150,491.

TRENTON — Democrats Gina LaPlaca and Mark Natale have outraised and outspent Republicans Ryan Peters and Jean Stanfield in their closely watched 8th District Assembly race, but the contest still appears destined to be a toss up come Election Day.

Campaign finance reports released this week by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission showed the two Democrats raised over $336,300 in their joint account and spent just over $225,000 on their campaign to win the two GOP-held seats. By comparison, Stanfield and Peters raised a combined $282,773 in their separate campaign accounts and collectively spent $150,491.

The numbers reflect money leftover from their primary campaigns and were reported by the campaigns on Oct. 4, which was 29 days before the Nov. 5 election.

While the Democrats have the edge in fundraising and spending so far, the two Republicans had $132,281 in cash available for the final month, slightly more than the two Democrats’ $111,289 in their joint account and the just over $10,000 available in their individual campaign accounts.

The money is often critical to campaigns to fund polling, research and advertising on television, websites or direct mail, as well as for more mundane expenses like supplies, lawn signs and food for volunteers and canvassers.

LaPlaca and Natale have spent large sums already on cable television advertising, printing and research and polling.

Stanfield and Peters’ campaign spending has mostly consisted of in-kind expenditures by the Burlington County Republican Committee for office space and staff, and the New Jersey State Republican Committee, which paid for direct mail advertisements in the district.

Statewide, Democratic candidates have raised close to $11 million in the Assembly races compared to the $3.26 million brought in by Republican candidates, according to an analysis by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission. Democrats’ spending has also surpassed Republicans by a margin of $5.7 million to $1.37 million.

Democrats currently hold a 54-26 seat edge in the lower chamber. Though all 80 seats are up for grabs, most of the legislative districts are not considered competitive and the incumbents serving in them are heavy favorites to secure re-election.

According to ELEC, incumbent Assembly members have raised more than $11.4 million toward their re-election compared to $2.8 million raised by challengers.

The Burlington County-centric 8th District is one of only a handful of districts that are viewed as competitive, and the Democrats are targeting it as one of their best opportunities to pick up two additional seats.

LaPlaca and Natale received significant funds from the Burlington County Democratic Committee and the campaign accounts of Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, as well as other Democratic legislators. Their campaign has also received significant sums from several building trades unions, including the New Jersey State Laborers, Sheet Metal Workers and Electrical Workers unions.

The union donations came before a report from the website, New Jersey Globe, about LaPlaca crossing a picket line during a Verizon workers strike in 2016. LaPlaca was not a union member but was working as a government affairs agent for the telecommunications company at the time. She told the website she was forced to work as a substitute for striking union workers or face termination.

Following the website’s report, the New Jersey AFL-CIO withdrew its earlier endorsement of LaPlaca, though the labor organization continues to support Natale.

The Burlington County Central Labor Council and the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council voted to continue to endorse both Democrats in the race.

Peters is the lone incumbent in the 8th District race and is paired with Stanfield, the retired Burlington County sheriff. Their donors include former U.S. Senate candidate Bob Hugin, entrepreneur/movie producer John Aglialoro and Republican congressional candidate David Richter. The pair also received contributions from the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.

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